Ratchet feeding mechanism for bread-cutting machines.



J. E. JOHNSON.

RATCHET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BREAD CUTTING MACHINES.

' APPLIOATION FILED APB.'15, 1913. I 1,1 12,91 1 Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

2BHEETSSHEIIT 1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES THE NORRIS PE'ERS (50.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINOYON. 0, C4

J. E. JOHNSON.

RATCHET FEEDING MEGHANISM FOR BREAD CUTTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1913.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

K1 ATTORNEY \\l INVENTOR JEJZ/Y/YsO/Y. 5 w

WITNESSES THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. n. r.

son,

'rnns'rATEs 1mm on K JOHNEDWARD JOHNSON, on iviounnsvrnnn, v/ns'r VIRGINIA.

RATCHET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BREAD-CUTTING MACHINES. a

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

Application filed April 15, 1913. Serial no, 761,304.

To all whom it ma ooncerh drawing. a

This inventlon relatesto a ratchet feedln mechanism for bread cuttingmachines, and

theprimary object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device that can be advantageously used inconnection With the manually operated machinesused in restaurants, hotels and otherplaces for evenly and uniformly slicing for cutting loaves of bread, cake or other matter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable feeding mechanism used in connection wi th a bread cutting device that has positive and reliable means,

as hereinafter set forthl for automatically and intermittently feeding a loaf of bread or piece of material into position that it can be easily and quickly sliced or cut into uniform portions. i

,A further object of this invention is to provide, a device of the above type embodying a loaf holding frame, a feeding plunger, a knife, and a mechanism actuated by the movement of said knife for intermittently moving said plunger, the above elements being compactly arrangedto provide a struction, combinationand arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and ture that is highlyeificieiit for the purposes for wh ch it is intendedf v lVith. the above and OljllQfObjjBCtS in view the invention residesin the novel constructhen claimedn Reference WlllIlOW ings, where1n:

Figure 1 is a plan of the ratchet feeding mechanism for bread cuttingmachines, Fig. ,2 is a side elevation of thesame,,F1g. 3 1s an end view of the device, isa longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 1, F1gh5i1sa cross sectlonal view, taken on the line of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a similar View taken on th li VI-VI of llighl; l a

i ratchet feeding mechanism for bread cutting machines in accordancewlth thls inven- Be it known that I, JOHN EDWARD JOHN- a citizen of the United States of being had therein to the accompanying open end thereof.

*tion comprises a base plate 1 that is rectangular inplan and mounted upon said base plate by screws? or other fastening means are the lateral flanges 8 of a rectangular houslongitudinally of the base plate, intermediate the ends thereof, and having the topthereof cut away, as at 5 whereby the end of a loaf of, bread or other material to be cut will be exposed to the action of a sliclng knife located at the end of said housing. An end of thehousing 4thas a longitudinal exten sion 6 for a rack 7, carried by a presser head 8, said presser head and said rack :con-

stituting a plunger movable relatively to the housing 1, whereby when the rack is shifted mg or casing at, said housing being disposed longitudinally of the extension (5 the presser head 8 will shift a loaf of bread or piece of material within the housing 1 toward the Pivotally mounted in an opening 9 provided therefor in the base plate 1 by a pin 10 is theinner end of a handle 11 andsaid handle has a detachable hatchet-shaped slicfastening means. The handle 11 is arranged transversely of the base plateil at the open;

a p I 12 is disposed relatively tosaid handle end of the housing 4 and the slicingblad e whereby it will sever matter protruding from the casing 4. The pivoted end of the handle 11 is operablebetween "a channel-shaped guide 1 1- that is secured to thebas egplate 1, as at 15 and oneof the walls 1610f said guide is cutaway, as at 17 toprovide a stop 18 that cco oerates with anjend wall of; the guide in limiting the movement of the ban-a dlell. a a a a Arranged longitudinally of the base plate l and partially countersunk therein ,isa a longitudinal shaft l7 that is held iripfosition by bearings or straps 18. One end of a a the shaft 17-l1as a radiillly disposed arm 19 that extends between spaced apart pins20 and 21 carried by the handle" 11. The Op 1 posite end of the shaft 17? has acrank22 and said crank is bifurcated and provided with a pivotpin 23 fora pawl 24 thatex tends over the top flat surface of apinion 25,which is revolubly mounted upon apost 26, carried by the base plate 1. The pinion 25 meshes with the rack 7 and the flat sur face ofsaid pinion is provided with radially disposed teeth 27 engaged by the pawl 24.

Extending over the pawl 24 is a spring 8Q ing blade 12Ithatis retained in engagement a with the handle 11 by a setscrew l3 ,oriother pressed retaining member 28 that is pivotally mounted in a housing 29, located adjacent to the pinion 25. In the housing is a compression spring 30 that bears upon the retaining member and said member is adapted to retain the pawl 24 normally in engagement with the pinion 25. Located upon the base plate, adjacent to said pinion is a pivoted ,dog 31 that is held in engagement with the peripheral teeth of the pinion by a small compression spring 32 carried by said base plate.

To place the bread cutting device in operation, the presser head 8 and the rack 7, constituting the plunger of the housing 4-, are placed in a retracted position and a loaf of bread or the material-to be sliced placed in the open end of the housing. This is accomplished whenthe handle 11 is raised. When the handle is lowered to slice the protruding end of the loaf of bread, the pin 21 engages the arm 19 and when the handle 11 is again raised, the pin 20 engages the arm 19, rocks the shaft 17 and shifts the pawl 24: whereby it will pull upon the pinion 25. With said pinion meshing with the rack 7 the plunger is advanced in the housing 4 and consequently the loaf of bread therein. The

loaf of bread is advanced a sufhcient distance to permit of the blade again slicing the same when said blade is lowered. When the blade is lowered the pin 21 engages the arm 19, ---rocks the shaft 17 and shifts the pawl 24,

whereby it will obtain a fresh grip upon the pinion 25. The spring pressed dog 31 prevents accidental movement of the pinion 25 and when the plunger is to be placed in a retracted position, whereby a loaf of bread can be placed in the housing a, the spring pressed dog 31 is shifted. out of engagement with the peripheral teeth of the pinion 25 whereby said pinion can revolve as the rack *7 is shifted.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have devised novel means that are automatically actuated by the movement of a slicing blade and handle thereof for intermittently feeding a loaf of bread into position to be sliced, and while I have herein described the preferred form of mechanism for accomplishing this purpose I desire it to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modi- Copies of this patent may be obtained for engaging in said recesses for intermittently shifting said actuating member, a rock shaft for operating said actuating member, 'a' pivoted element, pins arranged on said pivoted element and engaging with said rock shaft for alternately operating it in v opposite directions, and a dog arranged to prevent movement of said actuating member in a direction opposite to that imparted to it by said pulling member. a 3. Av feeding mechanism comprising a longitudinally and intermittently movable shifting element, an intermittently revoluble actuating member for said element, said member provided with radially disposedrecesses, a spring'controlled pulling member engaging in said recesses for intermittently shifting said actuating member, a rock shaft for operating said actuating member, a radially disposed arm carried by said rock shaft, and a pivoted element provided'with pins engaging with said arm for alternately rocking said shaft in opposite directions.

4:. A feeding mechanism comprising a longitudinally and intermittently] movable shifting element provided with a rack, an

intermittently operating pinion engaging JOHN EDWARD Jonnson Witnesses:

E. W. J onus, Y NANNIE E. JOHNSON.

five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. v n 

